The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-20
Further Disclosures of Abuses in the
Insane Hospital Management.
Dr. Fletcher Continues His Testimony Be-
fore the House Investigating Committee,
and Makes Additional Revelations.
More About the Brutal Abuse of Pa
tients and the UnWholesome Food.
Testimony Covering Various Phases of the In
famous Mismanagement of the lnstitu-
tiOn-Free Flowers for Harrison.

The investigation of the Harrison mismanage-
ment of the Hospital for the Insane was taken
up again at o'clock yesterday morning The
object of the ensuing inquiry was to show that
patients were cruelty treated by attendants,
which was not reflection OIL Dr. Fletcher, but
upon the political system which fills the places
with persons whose appointments are urged by
party leaders and workers. regardless of the
qualification of such appoin tees Mrs. A. G.
Angelmyer was the first witness. She testified
that in June last, while residentof Logansport.
(she now lives in this city,. she CHANGED to visit
the hospital with couple of lady friends for the
first time in her life. While on the grounds she
saw female attendant slap an insane girl with
her hand. eight or ten times, in the face and
then shake her This was on the lawn. The
patient had wanted to get into hammock hence
the punishment. DR. Fletcher was informed of
it and said he would see to it.
DIR. Fletcher was recalled. Before testifying,
he asked to make an explanation. He had not
said that Mr.. Hall, the store keeper, got drunk.
and the mistake in the Journals report was the
reporters mistake. He said that Mr. Hall does
not drink The Doctor testified that he is by
profession physician and surgeon. He gradu-
ated in 1859, at the College of Physicians and
Surgeons, in New York city Previous to grad
uation, he had been for year engaged in the
treatment of insane in private in
stitution at Barre, Mass. After grad
uation he was in general practice in Indianapolis.
After the war he went to Europe and spent
year there in hospital work and in visiting hos
pitfalls for the insane in France, England. Scot
land and Ireland. After returning he continued
to practice in the city of Indianapolis until ap-
pointed superintendent of the Hospital for the
Insane. He thought greater number of cures
had been effected at the hospital by the non
restraint system than were effected by the old
system. He did not know the hogs that died at
the hospital pens died Of cholera, but thought it
pleuro- pneumonia.
OFF drove of hogs has cholera, and hogs from
that drove killed might not hog have germs of
disease and not be discoverabe your Inspection
Ayes, sir.
q. How did you come to nominate Hall!
AT the accommodation of Harrison and
Gapen. was not acquainted with him at ALL
OILS it not fact the board has taken employees
you have dismissed and put them at other work
about the hospital2
A.-Dismissed attendants have been so retained.
Q.-Are not to inject into your reports (gven to
the board for publication) something like the words
considering the circumstances, these things are
rue" Is it not true that in making reports it is the
tendency of officers to put the good side outa
Q.-You did not report strong butter and bad -four
In your reportss
A.-No sir.
Q.-They not put into such publications.
Al have never seen them there.
The following letters among others were read:
Fort SMITH Ark. Jan. IA, 1886.
DR.. W. D. Fletcher, superintendent:
Dear SRI want to ask you to do me a favor to
send your check for this month salary out of your
contingent 70 n o. vet
and it is all ont and nothing coming in. am in hopes
you have had tho boiler-house completed before this
cold weather want to be with you at the next board
meeting Yours respectfully, 2. M. GAPEN.
LEBANON Ind, July 81 1866.
DR.. w. j. Fletcher:
Dear SRI will have a fight next Saturday from
Boone county for the Legislature and l will need
Billy Cobb to control his township. Please let him
come mp Friday evening, as some of the delegations
will be in by that time. Very truly yours,
THOMAS HARRISON.
Upon the reading of this very urgent demand
for Billy Cobb quite laugh went round. The
next witness called was Samuel Marley, who
testified that he was employed at the Hospital
for the Insane last March and April, about two
weeks-at least he remembered being there two
Sundays.
QUESTIONABLE you well known to DR.. Thomas!
Answer.-I have met him several times
Q.-What can you say about cruelty to patients?
A.-Have attendant named Boyd strike q
patient several timcs-at least dozen times-with
his fist, and saw him kick him. This was in 1856.
do not know whether he is still employed out there.
saw attendant named Cravens strike patients with
his inst and kick them: Boyd was in E ward, and
Cravens in ward think
Q.-Have you attendants take patients into a
corner and beat themi
Al have seen them take them into room on {
bed. l remember Boyd catching a patient. running
him back, throwing him bed. and striking hin
in the breast I saw him another time when a gans
of seven came in from work and one went to lie
lounge. go up to him. strike him in the breast with
his fist; pull him the floor and STAMP
him. | them strike in thu
face. This was to keep them from showing
marIs. the doctors could not catch then
at it. They take precauton not to bruise patient
as to show marks or to tell on another If Their
is scuffie or beating the attendant watches tn
physician cannot come on the ward and catch them
supposed to tell anything that went on The attend
ant on the ward with me got up. and assaulted pa
tient and then came back and told me was not sup
posed to tell anything
Q.-Were they violent patients7
A.-Not IN my ward
Q.-What was the cause!
A.-Nothing, except overbcaring cruelty. Once be
a patient lying lounge; becaus
pacing the floor back and forth and anothe
tine when patient oiling the floor and didn't &c
along fast enough.
sQ.-Did you get into ighti
A.-No; but nterfered with an attendant who wa
striking patient
Q.-How did you get acquainted with DIR. Thomas
A-By keeping tollgatc west of the hospital. d.
Thomas went through 4 good many times He had
campaign club.
On cross examination the witness said he ha
been prisoner in the northern prison in 1876
and 1870 when he was boy. He proved to b
the same Marley who was appointed postmaste
under the Cleveland administration, but win
never took the Office, owing to the howl that wa
raised in the neghborhood. The witness sal
he had resigned as he didn't like the cruel treat
ment to the patients.
Q.-You are something of politcian2
Al m.
Q.-What was the club DIR. Thomas hadl
At was called the Athon Club. 1t was potica
lnd met somewhere about the asylum.
Albert Thayer was the neyt witness His hal
is white, and he is a bright-eyed. intelligen,
fnelooking man Of perhaps fifty years. II
lives in this city, and said he had been twice cor
fined in the Insane Hospital tho first time i
1882, and the second time in 1884.
Q-Is your recollection clear as to what you sawa
A.-pcrfectly so, sir.
Mr.. Wesner objected TO receiving the test
mony of this witness. Mr.. Swift SAID the wi
mesa Wa a man we'll known In Indinnapolis. an